Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,051 per month in Jubail vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,666 per month in Jubail vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,282 per month in Jubail vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jubail costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Jubail and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jubail 22% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 SAR 24.94

$1.98 ฿64.3

235.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.62 SAR 149

$18.80 ฿612

110.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 SAR 33.88

$7.75 ฿252

16.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 SAR 10.82

Cappuccino

$3.37 SAR 12.63

$1.92 ฿62.5

75.52%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$0.79 ฿25.79

6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.36 ฿11.62

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.65 ฿53.8

11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.72

$1.63 ฿53.2

-39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.19 ฿38.86

36.13%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.00 ฿65.1

22.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 SAR 29.61

$15.98 ฿520

-50.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.44

$3.03 ฿98.5

132.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 SAR 41.00

$10.86 ฿354

0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$2.76 ฿90.0

-14.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.18 ฿38.42

46.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.17

$1.64 ฿53.5

0.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.52 ฿49.51

-7.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.38 ฿45.10

-15.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.03

$1.19 ฿38.84

12.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$0.70 ฿22.86

94.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.56 ฿18.13

5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.99 SAR 11.23

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.26

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 SAR 26.65

$4.58 ฿149

55.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.35

$0.88 ฿28.56

1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.52 SAR 95.8

$18.72 ฿610

36.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 SAR 14.70

$1.36 ฿44.16

188.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.34 ฿43.65

37.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.24 SAR 64.7

$7.84 ฿256

119.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$1.23 ฿39.92

-47.97%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.1K SAR 75.4K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-7.13%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.0K SAR 90.1K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

6.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$99.1 SAR 372

$70.5 ฿2,298

40.45%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$31.64 SAR 119

$13.68 ฿445

131.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 SAR 239

$17.45 ฿568

264.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 SAR 333

$41.33 ฿1,346

114.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 SAR 133

$6.96 ฿227

408.19%

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 SAR 51.8

$5.77 ฿188

139.17%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$203 SAR 762

$307 ฿10.0K

-33.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,380 SAR 31.4K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-42.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.05 SAR 143

$55.8 ฿1,817

-31.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 SAR 231

$26.21 ฿854

135.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 SAR 316

$85.8 ฿2,793

-1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 SAR 300

$72.2 ฿2,353

10.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,519

$430 ฿14.0K

-5.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SAR 1,055

$239 ฿7,774

17.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 SAR 2,425

$817 ฿26.6K

-20.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 SAR 1,891

$511 ฿16.6K

-1.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 SAR 9,573

$1,983 ฿64.6K

28.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,285 SAR 4,821

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-13.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,598 SAR 5,997

$619 ฿20.2K

158.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Jubail: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $405 in Jubail versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 158% higher in Jubail, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Jubail versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $191 in Jubail vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Jubail wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jubail vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jubail costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,576 per month in Jubail and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $203 per month in Jubail and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Jubail – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Jubail at $1,051. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jubail it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,051 in Jubail. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jubail makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.